Who Killed Rosaline “Rhonda” Ransom Lee?

Rosaline “Rhonda” Ransom Lee left her home in Pontiac, MI on Sunday, May 26 at 3:10 a.m. to get a few things for her children. Her dead body was found by a fisherman in Terry Lake later that morning.

According to WWJ-AM, the 32-year-old woman was strangled to death. Although not yet confirmed, it’s believed that Lee was sexually assaulted since all of her clothes were removed except for her t-shirt.

Her death, which was ruled as a homicide by the Oakland County Medical Examiner's Office, has devastated family and friends who describe her as “a loving mother, daughter, sister and friend.”

ReMona “Richelle” Ransom says her little sister was “in a great mood” on the morning she was murdered.

“My mother and younger sister, Robin, were with my sister Rosaline [on the morning] that she disappeared,” she says. “She had just gone grocery shopping and was cooking dinner the next day. Rosaline and her oldest son, Jordan, were making plans to go to a park in Rochester Hills, MI the next day to go jogging.”

Ransom recalls the very moment she and her family learned of Lee’s passing.

“The police showed my mother a picture of my sister with her eyes closed,” she says. “My mother said, ‘OK, good, you found her. What hospital was she in?’ The detectives looked at each other, then back at my mother. They said, ‘We’re sorry Mrs. Ransom, she has passed away. She was found in Terry Lake.’ My mother slumped and leaned against the car. She is in a lot of pain right now.”

Leaving behind two sons, ages 6 and 12, along with a 9-month-old daughter, Rosaline was a medical assistant and had plans to return to school in the fall to become an RN.

“She was very excited,” Ransom says. “She had already seen the college counselor, filled out financial aid papers and was prepared to start in the fall with her pre-reqs.”

The morning Lee’s body was discovered, she had been driving a white Dodge Caravan. The car was found less than a mile away from Terry Lake and has a large rusted dent on the driver’s side. Police have released a photo of the vehicle in hopes that anyone who may have seen it near the lake over Memorial Day weekend will come forward with any possible clues to help solve this case.

Ransom says one of the hardest parts in dealing with her sister’s death is trying to explain to Rosaline's young children why their mother is no longer here.

“Her children's lives will forever be changed,” she says. “They are sad. Her middle child, the 6 year old said, ‘Nana, I know that you said that my Mom went to Heaven to be with God, but when does she come home?’ ”

She adds, “I hate to think about my sister Rosaline's last moments on Earth. I know that she was frightened. I know that she cried. And I'm sorry that had to happen to my dear sister. It hurts my soul.”

Over the course of the last few days, Ransom has reached out to countless news organizations in hopes of getting information about her sister's murder out to the public. Aiding in her efforts is Star Jones, whom she befriended on Twitter four years ago and connected with as fellow members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. The two appeared on HLN's Nancy Grace to discuss Rosaline's murder.

Ransom vows to find the person responsible for cutting her sister's life short.

“Her death has left a huge gap in our lives and the lives of her children,” she says. “We are adamant that the person or people responsible for her death be brought to justice.”

Anyone with information about Rosaline's murder is asked to call at the Oakland County Sheriff’s Department: 248-858-4950.

Princess Gabbara is a senior at Eastern Michigan University, where she’s studying journalism. You can read more of her work on her blog: princessgabbara.wordpress.com. Follow her on Twitter: @PrincessGabbara

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